Qantas Delayed from London? Claim EU261 Compensation Up to €600
Qantas (IATA: QF) — Australia's national carrier — operates flights from London Heathrow to Perth (QF9/QF10, ~14,500 km direct) and Sydney via Singapore. Despite being Australian, EU Regulation 261/2004 applies to all Qantas flights departing from EU or UK airports. The London–Perth direct at ~14,500 km is one of the world's longest non-stop routes and qualifies for €600 per person with a 4+ hour arrival delay. UK passengers have a generous 6-year claim window.
Critical: check who actually operated your flight
Qantas and British Airways have an extensive codeshare agreement under their oneworld partnership. Your ticket may be booked as QF but operated by BA, or vice versa. Always check the operating carrier printed on your boarding pass:
- → QF prefix on boarding pass → operating carrier is Qantas → claim against Qantas
- → BA prefix on boarding pass → operating carrier is British Airways → claim against BA
Qantas EU/UK departure routes
| Route | Distance | Max comp. | SOL |
|---|---|---|---|
| London LHR → Perth PER (QF9) | ~14,500 km | €600 | UK: 6 years |
| London LHR → Sydney SYD (via SIN) | ~16,900 km total | €600 | UK: 6 years |
| Frankfurt FRA → Singapore SIN (via QF) | ~10,100 km | €600 | Germany: 3 years |
Am I eligible?
How to claim Qantas EU261 compensation
- 1
File directly with Qantas
Submit your EU261 claim via Qantas customer care. Reference EU Regulation 261/2004. Include your QF flight number, PNR, London Heathrow departure date, and actual arrival time at Perth or your final destination.
Qantas contact → - 2
Escalate to the UK CAA if denied
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) enforces EU261 against Qantas for London Heathrow departures. UK passengers have a 6-year window from the flight date. Free to file, typically 3–6 months.
File with UK CAA → - 3
Use a no-win no-fee service
AirHelp handles Qantas EU261 claims and can assess the LHR–PER route quickly. They take ~25% only on success. The 6-year UK window means flights from 2020 onwards are still in play.
Check via AirHelp →
Qantas denial tactics to watch for
- →"EU261 doesn't apply to Qantas" — false; EU law applies to all carriers on EU/UK-departure flights
- →"The flight was operated by British Airways" — check your boarding pass; if it says QF, claim against Qantas; if BA, claim against BA
- →"Technical issues on a 14,500 km aircraft are extraordinary" — routine technical problems are not extraordinary under EU261
- →"Australian Consumer Law applies, not EU261" — Australian law covers Australia-departure flights; EU261 covers UK/EU-departure flights; they are separate
- →Offering Qantas Points or frequent flyer vouchers instead of cash — you are entitled to cash compensation
Find past Qantas delays in your inbox
SubRadar scans your Gmail or Outlook for Qantas booking emails and flags EU/UK-departure QF flights that were disrupted. UK passengers have a 6-year window — London–Perth delays back to 2020 may still be claimable.
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